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January 28, 2014

Houston Environmental News Update January 28, 2014

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Houston Environmental News Update January 28, 2014

COALITION NOTES

  1. 2014 HAUFC Tree Planting Competition. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council, Harris County Flood Control District, CenterPoint Energy and Trees For Houston are once again sponsoring the Great Texas Tree Planting Competition to be held in conjunction with local Arbor Day celebrations. Each team will consist of 10 planting members and a non-working captain and scoring will be based not only on time, but also on correct hole depth/width, mulching, planting techniques, etc. The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council will be supplying the judges and timers for the event. The competition this year will be a little different from years past, and the winning team will be awarded a “Golden Shovel”. The competition will be limited to 20 teams, door and raffle prizes will be awarded and each team member will receive an event t-shirt. Join in the fun on February 1, 2014, at 10am at the HCFCD Retention Basin (7600 West Little York Road). Find more details, including the registration form and list of rules, at http://cechouston.org/.
  2. State of the Air 2014. Air Alliance Houston is proud to present State of the Air 2014, the annual networking luncheon and review of air quality in the Houston region. Air Alliance Houston will for the first time host their State of the Air at Maggiano’s Little Italy. This annual event will include food, networking, fundraising, and updates on Houston’s Air Quality. Featured speakers will include the Environmental Protection Agency’s Ron Curry. Administrator Curry is in charge of the EPA Region 6, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Arkensas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Air Alliance Houston Board Member Dr. Brian Tison will also present on the quality of air in Houston, and its health effects. Funds raised during the event will benefit Air Alliance Houston, its mission, and its programs. Cost: $35.00 (includes tax and gratuity). Register here: http://ezregister.com.
  3. CANCELED – Distinguished Lecture Series: Dr. Peter Raven. The lecture scheduled for January 30, 2014, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) has been canceled. Sadly Dr. Raven has had an accident and due to medical reasons will not be able to present his lecture as planned. Although the first lecture in the series will not be able to take place as scheduled, all other lectures in Mercer’s 40th Anniversary Distinguished Speakers Series will occur as scheduled. The next event will be with Dr. David Creech on April 10, 2014, over “The Chinese Economic ‘Bloom’ – People, Plans, and Plants for a Verdant Earth.”
  4. Urban Harvest Class: Pruning Your Grapes, Muscadines, Jujubes, Persimmons and Mulberries. Winter is the season for this garden maintenance activity so critical to healthy trees and successful fruit production. Learn by observing an experienced pruner. Winter is the season for this garden maintenance activity so critical to healthy trees and successful fruit tree production. Come learn about pruning in this class held on February 7, 2014, from 4-6pm. All pruning is done under the supervision of a skilled orchardist. It is highly recommended that prior to class you take the How to Prune & Train Fruit Trees class. The cost is $36 per person. http://urbanharvest.org
  5. Backyard Composting Workshop. Don’t trash it! Compost it! According to the Houston-Galveston Area Council, up to 30% of our garbage is leaves, grass clippings, and tree limbs. Learn how to compost at the Backyard Composting Workshop on February 2, 2014, 2-5pm, at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. There will be two parts. Part 1: Learn the science behind decomposition and how to create compost from your own nutrient-rich kitchen waste and yard debris using different types of compost bins. Part 2: The workshop becomes hands-on, as your instructor guides each participant through the steps to build their own 55 gallon compost barrel. Includes both barrel and frame kit to make one compost tumbler. Prices are $20M / $30NM for Part 1; $80M / $95NM for Part 2; and $90M / $115NM for both parts. The workshop will be held again on February 9, 2013. Register at www.houstonarboretum.org.
  6. Sheldon Lake Prairie Restoration. Join volunteers to help with the ongoing restoration of historic tall grass prairie every Tuesday at the Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center. The next volunteer opportunity will be held on February 4, 2014, from 8-11:30am. Activities include separating and potting rescued grasses, planting mature grasses and collecting seed. No training necessary. www.tpwd.state.tx.us
  7. Discussion on Memorial Park’s Ecology. As part of the long-range master planning effort, the Memorial Park Conservancy is sponsoring an dialogue on the ecology of Memorial Park. The Master Planning team invites those with knowledge of, expertise in and / or a strong interest in Memorial Park’s ecology to participate. The Conservancy seeks your input, concerns and requests and will facilitate a conversation in which everyone all learn from each other. Help us identify issues and opportunities that need to be considered in Master Planning that relate to the park’s ecology. Additionally, the Master Planning team will deliver a short presentation on how the planning process works with respect to ecology. The meeting will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2014, from 9-11am. Location is TBD. Please RSVP by February 5, 2014 if you plan to participate by emailing the Conservancy at info@memorialparkconservancy.org OR by calling 713/863-8403, extension 1. Learn more about the Master Plan at www.memorialparkconservancy.org.
  8. Volunteer for Annual Abandoned Crab Trap Removal. Each year, Texas Parks and Wildlife announces a 10-day period of time when good samaritans may legally collect and properly dispose of abandoned crab traps in Galveston Bay. Crab traps left in the bay after crabbing season can endanger important wildlife like the diamondback terrapin, entangle other wildlife, or get tangled up in boat propellers. On February 22, 2014, the Galveston Bay Foundation will host a crab trap removal and disposal site at Fort Anahuac Park. GBF is now recruiting volunteers, airboats, kayaks, and other small flat-bottom boats to assist with this vital project. To learn more and to sign up to volunteer, visit galvbay.org.
  9. USA Today’s “Best Museums in U.S.” The Children’s Museum of Houston is the in the running for “Best Museum in the U.S.” in the USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The Children’s Museum of Houston is competing against 19-other museums across the country, and it’s the only museum from Texas to be nominated. The poll is open now and runs through February 17, 2014. Visit www.10best.com to vote for your favorite museum. Supporters may vote every day.
  10. NatureFest – Call for Exhibitors. The staff of Jones Park in Humble, Texas, would be honored for your organization to join NatureFest as an exhibitor this year. This free, family-focused public event attracts over 1,100 visitors, and is a great opportunity to share what your organization is all about. It will be held on March 1, 2014, from 9am-3:30pm. NatureFest is an annual Jones Park festival, which offers catch and release fishing, live animal interactions, children’s activities, and much more! There is still time for exhibitors to register! For all exhibitors who still wish to attend NatureFest, the final date for sending in your registration forms will be Wednesday, February 12, 2014. More at www.hcp4.net. Registration form modified
  11. Memorial Park Long-Range Master Planning Process. Love Ecology? Love Memorial Park? Memorial Park Conservancy, in collaboration with Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Uptown Houston, is leading an ambitious effort to restore and revitalize Memorial Park through a long-range master planning effort that was announced this fall. The Conservancy is facilitating a robust public input process and wants to hear from people just like you! Just complete the short online survey at http://memorialparkmasterplan.mindmixer.com.
  12. 1st Annual GCBO Raptor Rodeo – January 2014. Help GCBO document the status of wintering raptors and support the Smith Point Hawk Watch at the same time! The Smith Point Hawk Watch is one of only four Gulf coast hawk watches and one of only two that capture the bulk of the Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kite migration, yet each year there is a struggle to raise the funds to support a paid counter. Your $50 Raptor Rodeo entrance fee will help GCBO meet the funding goal for the watch and provide you with a day of fun searching for raptors anywhere you’d like! The Raptor Rodeo is a contest to see who can spot the highest number of raptors in one 24-hour period. You can participate on any day in January. Winners receive bragging rights and The Arvin Award honoring former GCBO Research Coordinator John Arvin. Find the rules and entry form at http://www.gcbo.org/.
  13. 15th Annual Grants Program. The Rice Design Alliance is sponsoring the 15th annual grants program for students and faculty of the Rice School of Architecture, the University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, the College of Architecture at Prairie View A&M University, and the Department of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University. RDA will make separate awards of up to $5,000 each to a student winner(s) and a faculty winner(s). The Initiatives for Houston grants program focuses on Houston’s built environment, its history, present condition, and future development. A variety of regional projects will be considered, including historic research, speculative studies, problem-solving and planning projects, and documentary studies of the conditions of the city and its architecture. Proposals will be evaluated for their potential to make a significant contribution to our understanding of the city and the region. Starting on January 6, 2014, the application will be available for download on the website, http://ricedesignalliance.org/. The deadline for applications is March 24, and awards will be announced April 28.

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COMMUNITY NOTES

  1. Climate Change: Is It a Real Threat? Join UH Energy for the upcoming energy symposium, held on February 11, 2014, 6:30-8pm, at Hilton University of Houston, Waldorf-Astoria Ballroom. The series is presented by UH’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) and is free to the public. The topic is Climate Change: Is It a Real Threat? Guest speakers include Richard A. Feely, Ph.D. – National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration; John W. Nielsen-Gammon, Ph.D. – Texas A&M University; and David Hone – Royal Dutch Shell. Please RSVP at uhenergyseries.evenbrite.com. Learn more here.
  2. Attwater Prairie Chicken Van Tours. Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest remnants of coastal prairie habitat remaining in southeast Texas. It is home to one of the last populations of the critically endangered Attwater’s prairie-chicken, a ground-dwelling grouse of the coastal prairie ecosystem. The first Saturday of each month, a guided van tour of the refuge will take visitors on a two-hour trip through the prairie. Join refuge volunteers and staff to learn about native coastal prairie, the history of the refuge, the biology of the Attwater’s prairie-chicken, and what’s being done to save it from extinction. The next tour will be held on February 1, 2014, from 8-10am. Space is limited and reservations are required. Contact the refuge staff to reserve your spot on this interesting tour at (979) 234-3021, ext. 221 or 223.
  3. Sheldon Lake Prairie Restoration. Join volunteers to help with the ongoing restoration of historic tall grass prairie every Tuesday at the Sheldon Lake State Park and Environmental Learning Center. The next volunteer opportunity will be held on February 4, 2014, from 8-11:30am. Activities include separating and potting rescued grasses, planting mature grasses and collecting seed. No training necessary. www.tpwd.state.tx.us
  4. Healthy Trees, Healthy People Survey. Over the last few months the Healthy Trees, Healthy People research team has conducted a needs assessment survey to identify how urban forestry professionals throughout the US identify and prioritize tree planting locations. Our aim is to understand how and in what way we can assist urban foresters, urban planners, and public health officials identify tree planting locations for improving the quality of life for residents. On average, outcomes such as improving water quality, beautification, improving air quality and improving public and recreation spaces were identifed as most important in identifying and prioritizing planting locations. You are invited–by January 31, 2014–to participate in a  quick survey at http://iah.suprmap.org that will help spatially understand areas in jurisdiction were you believe the addition of more trees will help to combat public health issues. The results of the initial assessment are available at www.treesandhealth.org.
  5. Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center Photo Contest. Are there any people out there that love taking pictures??? Send in your photos to the Nature Center’s first photo contest! Participants must submit two photos: One photo of a Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center sign (digital submisssion); and one photo for entry into the contest (submitted via email AND regular mail). Email the photos to nature.center@mctx.org, and mail them to Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center/Photo Contest Submission/1300 Riley Fuzzel Rd/Spring, TX 77386. Photos must be postmarked by February 28, 2014. Only one submission per person. Both digital and film process accepted. Voting will take place on Facebook and in person at the Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center from March 1, 2014 through March 12, 2014. If you have any questions, call 281-364-4225.
  6. 2014 Growing the Seeds of Environmental Education Conference – Call for Presenters. Houston ISD’s Outdoor Education Centers and the Texas Association for Environmental Education (TAEE) invite you to submit a proposal for a presentation at their spring conference. It will be held at the Outdoor Education Center at Forest Glen Camps in Huntsville, Texas on April 3 – 5, 2014. If you would like to share some great ideas, projects, or activities involving environmental education with other educators, please complete this form and mail, fax, or email to: Growing the Seeds/Attn: Al/723 Olympia Drive/Trinity, TX 757862; 936-594-3076 or 936-594-8143 (both fax); or growingseeds@yahoo.com. Proposals must be submitted by Monday, February 3, 2014. You will be notified by February 17, 2014 if your proposal has been accepted. Sessions may be either 1 hour long or 1½ hours long. View more: call for presenters 2014.
  7. Mills Scholarship. The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) is accepting applications for the 2014-2015 TWRI Mills Scholarship Program. TWRI anticipates funding three students up to $5,000 each for the 2014-2015 academic year. Applications are due by January 31, 2014. TWRI administers the competitive scholarship program, which is open to graduate students in water-related studies at Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Galveston and Texas A&M University-Qatar. This program is funded through the W.G. Mills Memorial Endowment. Since 2001, TWRI has funded scholarships for 151 students. View the application guide or contact Danielle Kalisek at dmkalisek@tamu.edu for more information.
  8. Houston KidWind Challenge. Think you or your class has what it takes to build the most efficient, functional, and innovative wind turbine? Try your luck at the KidWind Challenge! Be creative, have fun, and apply your knowledge of wind energy to win cool prizes. Participants need to be students in the 4th-12th grade. Find a team consisting of 1-10 students, find an adult coach (teacher parent, etc.), and find a generator, some parts, and a whole lot of creativity! Register online. The challenge will be held on February 6, 2014, at T-STEM E4 Academy at Attucks. Can’t make it to this event? The Challenge Online is always open and free to students K-college, worldwide! Learn more about the Challenge and find rules, learning resources, parts, and building tips online at challenge.kidwind.org.
  9. 2nd Annual “Growing Up Recycling” Cart Decorating Contest. For the second year in a row, the City of Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department is challenging 15 local Houston high schools in decorating green, 96-gallon recycling carts with recycled materials and art supplies in their “Growing Up Recycling” cart decorating contest. The contest is limited to the first 15 high schools that register by January 24, 2014; however, the deadline may be extended. Carts should be decorated in a recycling or environmental theme. The carts will be displayed and the winner announced at HISD’s “When I Grow Up” Career Fair and Expo on Saturday, March 8, 2014, 10am-2pm at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 W. 18th St, 77092. This event is FREE and open to the public. The expo is geared towards students learning about the many interesting careers in both the public and private sectors. The recycling contest is geared towards students re-thinking the everyday idea of trash by transforming the carts into unique and creative art with an environmental message. Interested parties should contact Sandra Jackson at Sandra.jackson2@houstontx.gov or (713) 837-9164 for a registration form. Read more at www.houstontx.gov.
  10. Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. The most inspiring and thought provoking film festival on earth is returning to Houston for two days, starting on February 21, 2014. This festival is a life changing ideas summit and social gathering. Come out for two amazing evenings filled with the best documentaries, powerful short films, avant-garde animation, adrenaline films, guest filmmakers, and expert panelists. The festival will be held at the Asia Society Texas Center in the Museum District. Learn more at www.mountainfilm.org. Find a schedule of events here, and purchase tickets here. Seating is limited so purchase tickets today!
  11. Community Solutions Collaboration. IREX is an international nonprofit organization providing thought leadership and innovative programs to promote positive lasting change globally. IREX is currently seeking U.S. community-based, non-profit organizations and government offices that actively engage in community development projects to host, mentor, and guide global community leaders during a four-month U.S.-based fellowship. Community Solutions leaders come from over 60 countries worldwide and are among the best and brightest global community leaders working in Transparency & Accountability, Tolerance & Conflict Resolution, Environmental Issues, and Women’s & Gender Issues. Through the program, leaders bring years of experience to community development in the U.S. while strengthening their capacity for leadership and development in their home countries. Through tailored fellowships, leaders gain hands-on experience in community work; collaborate and learn best practices through an online leadership institute; and create action plans for community-based initiatives back home. If you are interested in hosting a 2014 CSP Leader, please respond to csp@irex.org by Friday, January 31st, 2014, and include a short project description/scope of work that a CSP Leader might contribute to this August-December. Learn more at www.irex.org.
  12. The Texas Wildlife & Woodland Expo – Call for Exhibitors. The Texas Wildlife & Woodland Expo, in partnership with LSC-Montgomery, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife, USDA Forest Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, features the latest in education seminars on trees, healthy communities, living fit, land & natural resource management, nature & art, wildlife habitats, and outdoor interactive activities for the entire family. Each year thousands of attendees take advantage of this “one-stop-shop” experience while having an opportunity to meet one-on-one with top experts in gardening, healthy living, birding, wildlife, trees, nature, community preparedness & safety, outdoor adventures and much more. The expo will be held on March 22, 2014 at Lone Star College-Montgomery. Now is the time to reserve your space as an exhibitor. Exhibit spaces are free! For more information or to reserve your space, please visit http://expo.tamu.edu.
  13. Westbury Community Garden. The Houston Housing Authority, the Houston Parks Board, Mayor Annise Parker, City Council member Larry Green, and Joe Turner – Director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department have been working together to save the 7 acres Westbury Community Garden and to keep it as greenspace, as it has been for the last 30 years. A capital campaign has been started to raise $500,000 (the total cost of the land). To make a donation, visit https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/.
  14. Texas Brigades Summer Program. The Texas Brigades is a combination of five educational programs: Bobwhite Brigade (quail), Buckskin Brigade (deer), Bass Brigade, Waterfowl Brigade (ducks and geese), and Ranch Brigade (cattle). Each camp is 4 ½ days of intense, interactive, fun learning from top wildlife and natural resource professionals in Texas. Subjects covered include everything from biology, habitat management, watersheds, population dynamics, ecology, and botany, to photography, journalism, firearm safety, fishing, communication, critical-thinking, team building, and leadership. Texas Brigades is now accepting applications for the summer program. All students with an interest in biology, wildlife, fisheries, conservation, or the outdoors are encouraged to apply. You must be 13-17 years of age and you should also be willing to commit to conducting a minimum of three educational programs when you return home. Applications must be postmarked by March 15, 2014. Find out more at http://www.texasbrigades.org/.
  15. Gulf Restoration Comment Period. Responding to requests from the public, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (Trustees) have extended the public review and comment period for the Draft Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Draft Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (draft). The draft, which proposes $627 million in early restoration projects across the Gulf states is now available for public review and comment through February 19, 2014 rather than February 4, the original deadline. This marks the third and largest phase of early restoration to date. Included in the draft are 44 proposed projects. Some aim to restore barrier islands, dunes, marshes, shorelines and oyster beds. Others, such as boat ramps and park enhancements, seek to address the lost recreational use of natural resources. The draft also proposes a programmatic plan for continuing to pursue early restoration. The draft, available at www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov, includes the programmatic plan and the complete list of proposed projects, with locations and descriptions. (Click here for a list of proposed projects). More at http://content.govdelivery.com/.
  16. Houston Write-a-thon. Reading an ordinance or understanding a city process can be complex. Abbreviations, legal language, and references to other documents can sometimes feel like doing homework. The first ever “Houston Write-a-thon” aims to fix that. The City of Houston and Mayor Annise Parker, along with Open Houston, Code for America, January Advisors, and many other great partners are hosting an open and free event to help translate our ordinances, our processes, and our manuals into language that’s easier to navigate. This is a call to action for you to lend your expertise and to work with writers, designers, and civil servants to improve government communication for all of us. Read more at http://www.edforh.com/. The Write-a-thon will be held on February 22, 2014 from 10am-5pm at the Freed-Montrose Library. Find out more at http://www.houstonwriteathon.com/.
  17. TV: Texas Parks & Wildlife. Broadcast on KUHT Channel 8 at 3:00 PM each Saturday and on municipal access cable channels in Baytown, Deer Park, Houston, Nassau Bay, Pasadena, Seabrook, Sugar Land, and on HCC TV. More info on the TPWD website (* indicates a segment about the Houston area).
    • Eye in the Sky – Satellite Transmitters
    • Parks & Wildlife People: Craig Hensley
    • Government Canyon Bike Trails
    • LBJ’s Hill Country Legacy
  18. Air Quality Forecast. http://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html. Houston Clean Air Network and Realtime Ozone Mapping: http://houstoncleanairnetwork.com.
    • January 28, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • January 29, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.
    • January 30, 2014: Green–Good. Moderate to strong winds and low incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the “Good” range statewide.

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ECONOTES Featured News Articles–For dozens of additional headlines, visit the CEC website. (You can let us know about articles, too. E-mail news@cechouston.org).

  1. Planned highway could cut into prized Katy Prairie (Matthew Tresaugue, Houston Chronicle – Seattle Pi, 1/23/2014)
    Mary Anne Piacentini’s dream is for the Katy Prairie, a wide-open grassland some 40 miles west of Houston, to become a living reminder of a once common and bountiful landscape. For decades, her Katy Prairie Conservancy has purchased land here with the goal of preserving it for ducks, geese and egrets, for wildflowers and tall grasses — all for the public. Now, some public officials are pushing a strikingly different vision for the prairie: a highway to link Port Freeport and rapidly growing Brazoria and Fort Bend County suburbs to Waller County and points north.
    www.seattlepi.com
  2. Houston’s Ozone Mystery: Pockets of Pollution Unlike Other Cities (Dave Fehling – StateImpact, 1/22/2014)
    At the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), they’re very familiar with a park in Manvel, a small town 15 miles south of downtown Houston. It’s a place where prairie land is quickly being turned into subdivisions but it still retains a rural appearance. In Croix Memorial Park, between a soccer field and a playground, is one of the TCEQ’s air pollution monitoring stations, one of over 20 spread across the Houston area. For some reason, the monitor in Manvel shows that ozone levels here are among the worst in the metro area. Consistently. And they haven’t come down as they have over the past decade at other monitoring sites, some of them near areas with far more sources of pollution from vehicles or industries.
    http://stateimpact.npr.org
  3. Historic downtown building to be renovated into activity hub (Giselle Greenwood – Houston Business Journal, 1/21/2014)
    Houston First Corp. and Buffalo Bayou Partnership are embarking on a $5.3 million renovation of one of Houston’s historic buildings. The site is the 100-year-old Sunset Coffee building, located at Allen’s Landing near Main and Commerce streets in downtown Houston. The renovated building will include a ground-level outdoor plaza with rental facilities for runners, canoeists, kayakers and bikers. The first level will house the Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s offices, and the second level and rooftop terrace will be used for event space.
    www.bizjournals.com

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